How many people use scent when hunting???

If you do use them, what is your opinion on the effectiveness? Does it help you, hurt you or does it depend on the situation? Lastly, what and how do you use it?

Great topic Lip.

I’ve used scents for years and years with nothing to show for it. Maybe i’m not using it correctly but I’ve never had a deer come in to it or cross my drag trail. May stop using soon.

My method is: I use and unscented tampon, loop the string around the bottom thread of my boot so it hangs off one side or the other when I walk to my stand in hopes that a deer will cut my trail and follow it the right way. Not once has this worked and I don’t know if it’s worth the embarrassment of buying tampons anymore! But thank goodness for self check out these days!

Thanks WB, It was something Brad and I were discussing this past weekend. I used to use scents A LOT. Not so much anymore, but I still do around the rut. I have mixed reviews. As much as I have used them, I thought I would have better results. With that being said, I have encountered one of my largest deer ever a big non typical (pushing 200”) as he followed my scent drag right in to a mere 5 yards from my stand in ND. My Dad also had a similar encounter 10 minutes after I walked by during rifle and hung a scent wick in front of him. My Dad being hard of hearing never heard the deer approach and by the time the buck jumped the fence my Dad moved and the deer picked him off and jumped back over and was gone. I had to watch this from 200 yards away in my stand. That buck was a 6×6 in the 150’s. I have had a few other encounters where scent did bring them in, but those two were the biggest deer encoutnered. But as many times I have used it, I have had a thousand more where nothing happened.

The last few years, I usually use scent on my down wind side to help cover my scent during the rut. I do use scent in Mock Scrapes, but do not use it as much around my stand as I used to. During the last ten years of observing deer about 365 days a year and many hours logged in the stand, scouting, observing and etc., I have came up with a few conclusions. Deer are very much like people, they each have distinct personalities and traits. Some are fighters and bullies, others avoid conflict at all costs. Some deer are leaders and some are followers. Some are social and some are loaners and eacg deer is unique. Some come to calls and ratlting others walk the other direction. Some deer are curious, others rather just be by themselves. I think in hunting any deer you need to have an open mind and realize that not all things are going to work on all deer. You need to keep an open mind and there is always more then one way to bag a big ol’ buck. Happy Hunting!

I am in agreement with you, WalleyeB. I use it all the time (on my boot, not tampon ), but have never had one follow my trail. I have had some bucks come in to a wick that was hung near my stand, but nothing of any size. I think my problem is that the juice gets a little too old and breaks down. I haven’t yet sprung for the high-end concoctions.

Here’s what I do, and so far i’m 2for2, a P&Y Bull Elk and a small 9pt. Whitetail. When out scouting I look for cows/does bedded down. When they leave I’ll get in there bed & scoop the pee/dirt into a empty water bottle, put the cap back on it and let it cook in the sun until it gets nice and ripe. This year I had zero luck with the store bought scents. The day I shot my buck there was a doe bedded in my backyard so I grabbed my water bottle and got some of that fresh stuff. Later that day I got to my treestand and dumped it on the ground and 15 min. I got my 1st Whitetail.

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When they leave I’ll get in there bed & scoop the pee/dirt into a empty water bottle, put the cap back on it and let it cook in the sun until it gets nice and ripe.

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Hmmm, I really like that idea! I can see how it will get nice an ripe with a little sunbake!

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Deer are very much like people, they have distinct personalities and traits. Some are fighters and bullies, others avoid conflict at all costs. Some deer are leaders and some are followers. Some are social and some are loaners and deer is unique. Some come to calls others walk the other direction. Some deer are curious others rather just be by themselves. I think in hunting any deer you need to have an open mind and realize that not all things are going to work on all deer. You need to keep an open mind and there is always more then one way to bag a big ol’ buck.

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That’s a great great way to look at it.. I think sometimes just because animals don’t have facial expressions and use a different way of communication than we do, we think they’re without personality. I love this stuff.

I’ve used VS-1 from Border Crossing Scents in 2007 season. When I was bow hunting in late November, I had 4 does down wind of me, one of the smaller does walked up to the scent wick and acted like “who is this deer in our woods” attitude. She was very courious to see what it was. I ended up harvesting one of the mature does with them. After about 25 minutes sitting in the stand not moving a muscle, the mature doe gave me a 20 yard shot. When I came back with my buddy to drag the doe out of the woods, there was a 8 point buck, 120″ next to the scent wick.

In 2008 season, during the rut in Buffalo County, Wi – I used a doe-n-estrus scent from a deer farm in cannon falls, mn. I had a 10 point buck in the 110″ class come within 10 yards of the scent wick. I believe these scents work at times, especially during the rut. Whether it is a cover scent or attracts the curiosity of a mature buck, I will keep expermenting with some scents.

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I love this stuff.

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Me too!

That sounds like quite the idea Branden I may have to try that. For myself I have had much success with creating mock scraps down my shooting lanes where there are trails crossing through it. My shooting lane is a little wider then a deer is long and this helps them stop them giving me a chance to set up or even see them. as well I have found that while even freashing up old scraps it is always helpfull to move the dirt around with a stick rather then just poor some on top. I also made the mistake one time to dip part of the licking branch in the urine yeah every deer that smelled urine at head height ran away fast. as for leaving scent trails I usually walk with the bottle down the path lightly shaking the bottle leaving drops here and there but have never had a buck following my trail.

Lip Ripper, great question, seeing as how im on a study break i’ll throw out my two cents. I think scents can are very effective, but not alot of people use them correctly. I am very self-conscience about what i touch and where i place my scent. I think ultimate scrape drippers are one of the best scent dispensing tools on the market. Especially when paired with a trail camera. They keep the scrape looking very active. Also i use a stick and string when when laying out a scent trail. I usually will anticipate on where the deer are going to cross my scent then walk on the downwind side of where i am making my drag, so they won’t cross my tracks. I usually at least use a stick that is five feet long or longer. Now i have a question, and ive been experimenting with mixed results. Sometimes i will continue to reapply fresh scent on my drag, as im walking, and other times i won’t. Now ive had deer follow both in the right direction, and in the wrong, so im unsure as to what is the best. Also when making my drag i usually use a mature buck scent. During the pre-rut i will have two drags with a doe in heat and buck, but i have had great luck in luring 2.5 year old deer in witht the mature buck. Younger than that, and ive had them shy away. Ive only had two mature 3.5 or older deer follow my drag in, and they came running, but alas no shot on them. I don’t always use scent but i have had good success with it, and i think that it is one more tool to have in the hunters arsenal and at our disposal.

I have not used any scents over the last 4 years. That doesn’t mean I don’t think they work. They can work if used properly (in the right location and at the right time). One place I would consider using scents is when hunting big woods during the rut and the deer are using several trails that run parallel to one another. Using a scent trail may help entice a buck to come down your trail versus the others.

A buck’s sense of smell is directional. He has the ability to identify the source of the smell, he can estimate how far it is, how fresh it is and from what direction the smell is coming from. That is pretty amazing. So when a hunter lays down a scent trail trying to imitate a doe or a buck, think about how hard it is to actually trick that buck’s nose. Are you increasing your odds or decreasing your odds? Many things can go wrong (the smell of the actual scent, contaminating the scent with human odor, contamidating the area with human odor, using too much scent, the placement of the scent etc…). One must think about all of these things every time they are using scents.

I also think too many hunters give scents too much credit. Just because a buck came into shooting range doesn’t mean he came in because of the scent.

I guess to me one should pay more attention to stand placement as it relates to wind direction, food sources, bedding areas, travel routes, hunting pressure, escape routes etc… versus putting so much time and energy into using scents.

I use them sparingly throughout the season. I have had some great hunting experiences with them. I have also sat in my stand hundreds of times and wondered if I ruined the area that night by applying scent and not seeing anything. I honestly believe the scemt is mostly right place at the right time. Like rip said they’re all different. Be it artificial or there own they all are attracted to scent some of the time(great nose and there own communication) None are attracted always.
Great topic Cant wait for spring turkey bow season!!